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LEAD EFFECTIVELY

No one likes to be typecast. It feels even worse if that involves your job title – and your job title is “assigned” a low worth. We all want to be heard and respected. This starts with seeing people as more than their job description.

– Collaboration is key.

– Typecasting is small minded – and leads to even smaller progress.

– There is success in every failure.

We’ve all heard the clichés about being an effective leader. Treat others the way you would want to be treated. Talk less, listen more. There are no stupid ideas. Failure is simply an opportunity for growth. The list goes on and on. While there is plenty of tried-and-true advice out there that has stood the test of time, today’s modern workplace has introduced new challenges and opportunities. The key to effective leadership is in the execution.

I discovered this recently when I came across Access Consciousness, which takes a real-world, pragmatic approach to problem-solving and enhancing lives. The company’s founder, Gary Douglas, recently tackled the subject of effective leadership in today’s world. What he came up with was three strategies that can evolve your leadership style for the current environment.

These strategies include:

Be Interested, Not Interesting

This adds another layer to the listen-talk approach. A layer in which you actively engage your team, not simply sit back and listen. Ask for the opinions of others. Follow up with meaningful questions and actively outline a plan that involves all team members. This makes a project or environment feel less authoritarian and more collaborative.

Encourage Failure in Your Staff

This transitions the failure-opportunity notion into a growth experience. It starts with asking the employee who missed their goal to examine what they know now that they didn’t know before. This strategy allows them identify certain mistakes and missing information. Hindsight can also show them where they should have spent more time researching, preparing, or asking others for help or advice. Now, the silver lining: just because a result didn’t turn out as planned, it doesn’t mean it’s a bad result! Once kinks in the original plan have been identified, ask the employee “what’s right about this situation?” Try to get them to identify the positives that did result from this attempt. Capitalize on the strengths and correct for the weaknesses until you cultivate your ideal solution.

See Beyond Job Titles

No one likes to be typecast. It feels even worse if that involves your job title – and your job title is “assigned” a low worth. We all want to be heard and respected. This starts with seeing people as more than their job description. A good manager can identify the right person for a job, yes, but a true leader knows how to foster talent and where other strengths may lie. Ask your team members about their abilities outside their given roles. They may have hidden talents or passions you knew nothing about, but could nevertheless be a valuable asset to the team.

Your teams are capable of limitless possibilities through transformation, empowerment and enhancement, which are achieved when a leader employs strategies like those above.

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Thanks for remaining “In the Know”! As an 18-year veteran of the mortgage industry, I’ve seen my fair share of ups and downs – and I’ve learned some lessons along the way! One of the lessons I’ve learned is that knowledge is power, which is why I want to share mine with you. From the latest happenings within the industry to top sales techniques and even tips to remain happy, healthy and on top of your game, I want this to be a stop of inspiration along your journey to becoming a better loan officer, a better salesman and a better you.

About Me

When he’s not developing new talent or providing support to colleagues, Darren loves to spend his time outdoors. A native of Portland, Ore., who now calls San Diego home, Darren can often be found surfing, golfing, snowboarding, motorcycling or generally enjoying everything nature has to offer.